The invention relates to electrical machines which convert electrical energy into mechanical energy, or vice versa, such as electric motors and electric generators.
Winding assemblies often include a number of windings which are selectively electrically coupled via manual soldering to one another and/or to a power source associated with the electrical machine. Manual soldering typically increases the time it takes to manufacture a winding assembly, reduces the reliability of the winding assembly, and increases the costs associated with the winding assembly.
Winding assemblies also often include electrical conduits which are utilized to form connections between representative structures that need to be electrically coupled. Size and/or performance requirements of the winding assembly may necessitate placement of at least one electrical conduit in an air gap between a rotor and a stator of the electrical machine, resulting in reduced efficiency.
The invention provides winding assemblies which substantially alleviate one or more of the above-described and other problems with existing winding assemblies.
Each winding assembly of the invention may include a connector scheme having at least one electrical conduit or winding connector that is electrically coupled via a wave solder connection to at least two windings which are not axially adjacent. In one embodiment, the at least one winding connector includes a common connector that electrically couples a common portion of each phase of a poly-phase winding assembly to the corresponding common portion(s) of the other phase(s) of the poly-phase winding assembly. In another embodiment, the at least one winding connector includes at least one phase connector that electrically couples two windings from the same phase. The connector scheme may additionally or alternatively include at least one electrical conduit or power connector that is electrically coupled via a wave solder connection to a single winding, and adapted to be electrically coupled to a power source, preferably via an electrical conduit or power bus.
In most embodiments, the winding assembly includes an inner region and an outer region situated radially outward of the inner region. The outer region is the portion of the winding assembly which may be wave soldered during a wave soldering process. Each winding connector and/or power connector is generally situated with respect to the windings such that the portion(s) of the respective connector designed to be wave soldered to the corresponding winding(s) are wave soldered during the wave soldering process, and the remaining portion(s) of the connector are not wave soldered during the wave soldering process.
Use of at least some of the aspects of the above-described connector scheme results in a winding assembly that is more efficient to manufacture, less costly, and more reliable than existing winding assemblies.
The winding assemblies of the invention provide a number of constructions which allow for minimally sized air gaps even when size and/or performance requirements of the winding assembly would otherwise necessitate placement of at least one electrical conduit in an air gap between a rotor and a stator of the electrical machine. The winding assemblies of the invention include electrical conduits situated adjacent to the air gap instead of in the air gap.
In one embodiment, at least one recess is provided near the periphery of a winding assembly to accommodate at least one electrical conduit of the winding assembly. Each recess may extend around any portion of the circumference of the winding assembly (e.g., the entire circumference). Preferably, each recess is sized to accommodate the height and width of the at least one electrical conduit while minimizing the amount of winding elements removed from the winding assembly, such that the at least one electrical conduit does not extend into the air gap of the electrical machine or beyond an outer edge of the winding assembly.
In another embodiment, at least one recess is provided inboard of the periphery of a winding assembly to accommodate at least one electrical conduit of the winding assembly. Each recess may extend around any portion of the circumference of the winding assembly (e.g., the entire circumference). Preferably, each recess is sized to accommodate the height and width of the at least one electrical conduit while minimizing the amount of winding elements removed from the winding assembly, such that the at least one electrical conduit does not extend into the air gap of the electrical machine.
In another embodiment, magnetically permeable element(s) of the winding assembly extend beyond the edges of the windings adjacent to the air gap towards the corresponding magnetically-coupled elements (e.g., permanent magnets) to decrease the size of the air gap. The magnetically permeable elements preferable extend to accommodate at least the height of any electrical conduit extending beyond the edges of the windings adjacent to the air gap.
As is apparent from the above, it is an advantage of the invention to provide new and useful winding assemblies for electrical machines. Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.